A drug suspect died mysteriously inside a detention cell. His sister is suspicious after seeing her brother dead in a standing position, still handcuffed. The body was sent for forensic examination while Phang Nga province responded by ordering a fact-finding committee.
At 08:00 on 30 Sep 2026, Police Lieutenant Pongsakorn Khunpolchuay, an investigator at Kuraburi Police Station, Phang Nga province, received a report of a suspect found hanging dead inside the detention room of the Kuraburi district militia company 6. He coordinated with the Takua Pa district prosecutor, the duty doctor at Kuraburi Chaiyaphat Hospital, and local officials to conduct a postmortem examination under the Criminal Procedure Code Section 150, applicable when a person dies while in official custody.
On the evening of 29 Sep, Kuraburi district officials led by Mr. Jesada Thitimutha, district chief and head of security, along with militia members, launched "Operation 90 Days" targeting drug suppression. They arrested Mr. Pornthep, 39, with 5,050 methamphetamine pills in Moo 6, Ban Suan Mai, Kuraburi subdistrict. He was taken for booking and detained at the militia company pending investigation. Around 07:30 the next morning, Mr. Pornthep was found dead in the cell.
Mrs. Sirima, the deceased’s sister, said she and her family strongly questioned the cause of death. Around 07:00 that morning, she brought food to her brother and waited about half an hour, but no official informed her of any bad news. Looking through the cell bars, she saw her brother hanging dead in a standing position, still handcuffed. This unusual posture raised doubts about the detention procedures and circumstances of his death.
Recently, Mr. Surat Laichan, Phang Nga provincial chief, signed an urgent order appointing a committee to investigate both the detention procedures and the cause of death. The deceased’s body was sent for a thorough autopsy at Phuket Forensic Hospital to conclusively determine whether it was self-inflicted or involved foul play.